For some years now Tibetan society has been going through an important period of change which can be seen most of all in the capital city of Lhasa. A new face of Tibet is emerging. Consumerism, which was brought in and spread by the Chinese invaders who even now are trying to make this state assimilate as much as possible the Chinese culture, has turned the Tibetans attention away from the spiritual values which they have lived by for centuries. In the streets of Lhasa, above all in Barkhor, the most famous pilgrimage circuit in the town, one can see Buddhist monks holding their rosaries whilst talking on their mobile phones and wearing designer shoes and hats. The pilgrimage circuit has been overun by market stalls mostly run by Muslim Chinese traders selling prayer wheels and rosaries “made in China” and Nepal. In the last ten years beauty salons have been opened where a massage costs 45 Euro, as well as lavish commercial centres and brothels disguised as Karaoke bars where for four hours clients can drink as much beer as they want for the price of 200 Euro and much more for sexual services provided by prostitutes in darkened rooms. Finally, prostitutes on display in windows and extremely well-supplied sex shops – it is estimated that in Lhasa alone there are about 1000 brothels. At the latest discotheques young Tibetans get drunk and while still only teenagers they are already taking drugs The Chinese have invaded this state, encouraging immigration and mixed couples as much as they can. It is an astute and not altogether condemnable move on the part of the international community which will, within a few generations, bring about the extinction of the Tibetan race together with its centuries old culture which the Dalai Lama from India is trying hard to preserve. (More) ...